The Life of Cujo
by CorinnetheAnime
Summary: As I sniffed the metal bars of my cage, its strange scent overwhelming my nose, I looked around the white room. There were other dogs as well, all caged in the same metal kennels like me, howling mournfully. My heart wrenched with sadness as I realized that I might never see my family ever again. All I have with me is a bowl of food, water and my squeaky toy. Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**I loved the ghost dog in Danny Phantom and I wanted to do a short story about his life. Of course, this is probably not the actual past of the dog, it's just my idea, but I couldn't help myself. Anyway, it'll probably be a two shot, or a three shot. I don't know, but anyway, here goes!**

**Summary: As I sniffed the metal bars of the cage, its strange scent overwhelming my nose, I looked around the white room. There were other dogs of different shapes and sizes, all caged in the strange metal boxes with bars at the front. My heart wrenched with sadness as I realized that I might never see my family again: my Mother, my sisters, my brothers. I am trapped in a cage in a strange place with nothing but a bowl of food, water and my squeaky toy.**

**Rating: T because of implied death, and violence/fighting in future chapters**

**Genre: Angst, Comfort**

**I don't own DP or Cujo. I like the cute puppy though.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>1st person Cujo<strong>

Stupid squirrel, why won't you let me catch you? All I want to do is eat you for dinner, that's all. Or maybe at least chew at your neck. I almost caught the animal, but the darn creäture ran up a nearby tree and taunted me by wagging its tail, its bushy, scrumptious-looking tail. I barked at the squirrel, daring the animal to come down, but squirrels are too smart for that. It stared back at me with its round eyes and chattered noisily. I then summoned all my strength, tensing my leg muscles, ready to give a mighty jump when...

KICK!

YELP!

I was woken up from my squirrel dream with a yelp from my sister pup. I accidentally kicked her in the stomach with my leg, surprising her. I whimpered sorry at her, but being the noisy, prissy pup she is, she scolded me, telling me to watch it. Rolling my eyes, I wagged my little tail slowly, showing my condolences.

I heard more snickering from the background and I rose to my feet, staring around the room. I lived in a nice human home, a place that provided warmth with the fireplace, lots of room for playing with my brothers and sisters, and a grassy backyard for exploring and more playing. I was born into an average family that consisted of two girls and three boys including me, all the more to play and chase with.

Of course, I'm the runt of the litter, a blonde pup with a brown tail, ears, paws and very dark chocolate-brown eyes. My my fellow siblings teased me of that, calling me, "Tiny", "Blondie", and "Baby", but if push went to shove, Mom would take care of the problems.

My sister, Flora, a brown pup with blue eyes, is both prissy and snobby, her nose is always stuck up in the air. I don't know why she does that, shouldn't noses be pointed forward instead of up? She would play with me and my brothers from time to time, but other than that, she would stick close to Mother. She would talk about how hard it must be being a mother and how she wants to be grown-up and other stuff that I could care less about. If you ask me, I will always be a pup.

My other sister, Coral, a blond pup with black ears and light brown eyes is extremely shy, always hiding from her older brothers and the humans. I don't know what her problem is, but sometimes, being her little brother, I would walk over and talk to her. She also spends some time with Mother, hiding behind her legs and staring at the world (living room) in front of her.

My two brothers would always fight and wrestle each other, trying to see who is the alpha of the pack. Bruce, the eldest pup who is all black with a white ring around his left eye (his eyes are blue), would proclaim that he is the alpha because he is the oldest. My other brother, Kevin, a brown pup with a white tail and hazel eyes, would argue that he should be the alpha because he's stronger. Of course, I find their fights meaningless and silly, who cares about being the alpha? Of course, that remark earned me a few poundings from them.

And finally, my Mother. To me, she is a guardian angel with long, blond fur and loving brown eyes that I inherited from her, always watching out for me and my siblings. I never knew my dad, but I didn't really care. Mother is the one who would listen to my problems and give me advice. She always gave me the comfiest spot on the dog bed. She protects me from my siblings and she loves me, like any mother should. My sibling pups are jealous of me and called me "Mama's boy" from time to time, but I don't mind.

Okay, I introduced you to my family, so let's get back to the story.

I accidentally kicked Flora and my other siblings grinned and snickered from the ordeal. I scowled at them, what's so funny about this? Flora continued to whine and complained about how she got her beauty sleep interrupted by my dirty foot, but I ignored the whines and insults and walked out of the room. I yawned, my tongue hanging out and then curling up as I stretched my forelegs and then my back legs.

Suddenly, I heard a familiar pitter-patter sound. My ears perked up and I recognized what it is. Food! I raced to the kitchen, my little legs running as fast as they could to the food bowl. I don't want to be late for supper, otherwise my siblings would beat me to it and eat it all up, leaving me with nothing but crumbs. Of course, my Mother would share her food with me, but still.

When I entered the food bowl, I was the first one there. I quickly chowed as much food as I can down my throat. I could hear the yips of my siblings coming, encouraging me to eat more food. Before I knew it, I was kicked away from the food bowl, kibble spewing from my mouth. I watched as my sisters and brothers eat all the food, every last morsel. At least I ate some of it.

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><p><strong>1 week later...<strong>

I woke up from another squirrel dream and immediately I noticed that something didn't smell right. Maybe it's the fact that instead of waking up in the soft, cozy dog bed, it was a cold, hard, brown surface. I looked up and noticed that there were walls on all four sides, but there was no roof. Inside this weird place with me was my siblings, all bundled and still snoozing in Dreamland.

Wait, brown floors, small space, no roof, a chill in the air (literally)? I realized what's happening:

We are in a cardboard box outside of home.

Cold air bristled against my fur, making me shiver, my teeth chattering noisily. What's happening? Why are we here? What's going on?

I decided to take a peek and see where our actual location is. I stood on my hind legs, pressing my paws against the cardboard wall, giving me a better look. The wall was tall enough so I couldn't jump out, but it wasn't too tall to where I couldn't peep my nose above its border.

I noticed a white sheet on the other side of the cardboard, dangling in the wind. I couldn't read it (humans had to made a complex language), but I had a hunch that it's a sign. But what could it be?

I looked around the scenery; I noticed a long, narrow road in front of the box with many weird human machines going left and right on it. On the other side of the road, there were buildings, lots and buildings all lined up in a row. I looked to the sides of the box and I noticed that we are in a lighter, smaller version of the road, a sidewalk as humans called it. (I can't read their language, but I learned a few words.)

A whimper was sounded behind me and I noticed that my sister, Coral is up. She was shivering from the cold and looking around the brown box with fearful, puppy dog eyes. (And yes, I also mean the expression.)

"W-where are we? W-what is this place?" She stammered fearfully, looking at me as if I'm the wisest answer-giver in the world. Which I'm not.

"We are in a cardboard box left on the sidewalk with a sign out front." I answered sarcastically, not really caring.

Coral gave a noticeable gasp and tucked her tail between the legs. Tears started to form, threatening to slide down her furry face. Unfortunately for me, this is the part where my big brother instinct (not really _big_ brother since I'm the runt) started to kick in, wanting to comfort my sister.

"It's okay, sis." I reassured her quietly, trying not to wake my siblings. "I'm sure there's a reason why we're in a box."

"I want Mother.' She whined softly, her sad, brown eyes drooping. My big brother instinct kicked into full gear and I rushed to her side instantly. Placing a paw on her shoulder, I sang her a song that Mother would sing to comfort me:

_Pup, do not be afraid, _

_Do not be discouraged,_

_Life is full of obstacles,_

_Troubles that test our courage,_

_But do not be frightened_

_For I will always be with you._

The song soothed her as her shaking stopped and her sniffling diminished down to a slight whimper. "Thanks, Cujo."

"We will get through this obstacle, Coral. We will live." Giving her one more pat on the head, I decided that it's time that my sister and brother pups wake up.

"Okay guys, rise and shine! We got a problem!"

No effect. They were still snoozing. Man, what does it take to wake them up?

"WAKE UP NOW!"

Still sleeping. I furrowed my brows, knowing that there is one more way to wake them up. They won't like it at all.

I walked over to their tails. The tail is one of the most sensitive body parts of a puppy. I learned that the hard way when my tail was 'accidentally' pulled by Kevin. So for me, this is payback.

I bit their tails with my sharp teeth and pulled. Hard. On Kevin's tail that is.

YELP!

Four cries of pain were heard and I abruptly let go, secretly hoping that they won't pound me too much.

"Who did that? I was having a nice dream! Was it you, Kevin?" Bruce complained, locking eyes with the mentioned pup. I stepped away from the eldest; this was a bad idea.

Kevin blinked a few times and replied dumbly, "Uh, no. I was asleep too." He looked around the box until his gaze fell on me. I nervously gulped.

Mustering some courage I muttered, "Look guys, I had to wake you all up. We're in a cardboard box on the side of the street!" My comment immediately quieted the group for a moment as they noticed their current situation as well.

Flora scoffed. "So what? That doesn't the fact that you bit on my poor, precious tail."

I gritted my teeth in response since she wasn't really listening. "I had to wake you up! Do you know how hard it is to wake up four pups who are dozing in Dreamland?"

"No, not really. You're a pretty light sleeper." Bruce pointed out.

"That's besides the point!' I shouted. Man, are they deaf or something? "We're not at home! Mother is not here! There's something strange going on here and I'm going to investigate it."

Flora gave a shrill laugh, hugging her sides. "And how are you going to do that? You can't climb out of this box!"

I was about to retort when suddenly, I heard some voices in the distance. My ears perked up to pick up the sound better. I noticed that my siblings have also heard the voices as their ears were perked up as well.

"You hear that? S-sounds like human." Coral slightly stuttered, her brown eyes wide and alert.

The voices grew louder and louder, getting closer and closer to the box. My siblings and I looked at the top, waiting for someone or something to show up. I continued listening and could barely make out a conversation.

"...Daddy, look over there! A sign for free puppies! Oh, can we get one, please?" A little, girly voice called out. I immediately recognized that the voice belonged to a human.

"They're humans! Maybe they can help us!" Kevin yipped, wagging his tail. He jumped up and down and looked over the top. 'Guys, they're coming! We'll be free, finally free!"

All of my other siblings wagged their tails excitedly and raced toward the front of the box, watching the humans coming closer. I sat back in the corner, watching the event unfold. The humans, a young girl and an older male, probably her father, appeared at the box, looking at my siblings. I watched them, knowing that something is amiss.

The human girl picked up Flora, the latter trying to escape her tight grip. I was alarmed: why are they taking her? Please put her back! Don't take her!

The human must've read my thoughts or something because she placed my sister back into the box. She looked at my other brothers and sisters and soon her eyes fell on me. I wagged my tail slightly and gave a small bark. She stared at me with wide eyes and then she smiled at me.

"That one. That's the one I want."

Uh-oh.

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><p><strong>Okay, this is the first chapter. Okay, I own the dog family because they're my OCs. I'm sorry if Cujo is slightly OOC, but remember: this is his back-story or at least my version of it. I want him to be in a nice family and all that. And since this is his point of view, this story is a little different than you might expect. And I bet you're wondering where the squeaky toy is. That will come at a later time. And like all my other stories, anyone who reviews will get a talking DP plushies. If you've read my other story, you know that the plushies are overfilling my closet. So PLEASE REVIEW! And I don't want the evil flames, okay? I welcome constructive criticism and positive reviews (called ice), but please, no flames!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay, I have reviews! Okay, for those who read my other story, "Mystery at Morbid Manor", you know the drill. Reviews first, then story.**

**To XQueenPhantomX: Yeah, I hope that I can do a background for Cujo. I'm not a pure dog fan, but I like some breeds. And Cujo is just so cute! Anyway, this is probably a short story and I will probably have some angst stuff in this chapter. But yes, he will be a guard dog for Axiom Labs soon. And here is your Danny Phantom plushie! (hands plushie)**

**To Zaqhirix Chesire: Unfortunately, there aren't that many Cujo stories out there! I also noticed that this story is the only one that has his background as the main theme. So yeah. I hope you enjoy it. :D (hands plushie)**

**To GirlFish: Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not adding Danny to the story. Remember, this is Cujo's back-story and Danny met the dog when the latter was already a ghost. So he didn't know Cujo when the dog was alive. Sorry. Well, on the bright side, here's a DP plushie. (hands plushie) **

**So, moving on to...disclaimers. I. DON'T. OWN. DP. I HATE DISCLAIMERS. :(**

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><p><strong>1st person Cujo<strong>

The little human girl chose me. Of all the pups, she chose me. My heart leapt for joy at that realization, but my mind was a little suspicious.

The human girl's hands reached for my form and my mind immediately screamed for help, but my body did not listen to it and went limp in her chubby hands wrapped around my torso. My legs dangled below me as she brought me to her face and my eyes met her hazel ones. At this point, my mind was shouting and screaming at me to bite her and let her go, but I ignored it.

The human girl smiled and hugged me, not too hard to where I couldn't breathe. At that point, I felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest and my ears perked up. She released the hug and I sniffed her face, memorizing her scent. The human girl had a very fragrant scent; was she in a flower shop before she got here? I gave a small yip and licked her face, a symbol of my trust. Besides, who doesn't like kisses?

The little girl laughed merrily from the lick. "Hello, puppy. My name is Emily." Her hazel eyes sparkled and I gave another yip. I was happy for a moment, but then I remembered my sibling pups. I looked back at the box and whined.

The little girl noticed my sadness and asked her dad. "Can we get two puppies? He misses them."

The father pondered for a moment, and then he gave a nod, reminding the girl of her responsibility. The little girl squealed in joy and brought me to the box. "Who do you want to bring?"

Great, now I have to choose? How come it's always up to me in situations like this? I stared down at my brothers and sisters. They understood my problem and immediately quieted. I looked at my siblings carefully, watching their noses, their mournful eyes, their limp tails by their sides.

Flora stared at me with wide eyes, wanting me to pick her. I just stared back at her, not really wanting her. Knowing her, she will complain and clean herself all day long. If there is one good virtue she possesses, it's that she is usually quiet when Mother is around. And the fact that she hates fighting.

Bruce and Kevin gave me a reassuring wink and I gave a miniscule smile. I wasn't sure about them, they might fight me for dominance in the new house and I don't like to fight. But they do help me get out of sticky situations from time to time.

Then I turned to Coral, my shy, cautious sister. Of all the pups, she was the most timid, the most worried, lacking any kind of self-confidence whatsoever. But from time to time, she did show bravery like when she saved me at that time from the raccoon. Don't ask, it's not a topic I like to talk about. Maybe I can help her be more confident. Besides, that song did calm her down.

"I choose...Coral." I stated, turning my head to look at Coral. She gazed back at her, startled that she was chosen. The little girl noticed me looking at her and understood, reaching her hand for my sister.

The other pups understood and gave their goodbyes to me and my sister. Coral gave a tiny whine at me and I told her, "She's a nice human. I know she is. Trust her."

The father walked over to the right side of the box and I noticed that there was a human dozing in a chair. I mentally face-pawed, how did I miss that? Anyway, the father gave some papers (humans call it money or something like that) to the guy and walked back to they girl.

"Their names are Cujo and Coral. Now, remember, Emily, they are now your responsibility. That means that you have to take care of them, understand?"

"Yes, daddy."

Emily and her father then walked away with me and my sister. I gave one last look at the box, hearing the goodbye yips of my siblings. My sister, Coral heard them as well and gave a small sniffle. I rolled my eyes, she _needs _to stop being so shy all the time.

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><p>We arrived at Emily's house and the new,strange smells and sounds overwhelmed me. I didn't get a clear view of her house from the outside except that it was much smaller than my first home. But it was better than nothing, I suppose. A whine was heard beside me and I noticed Coral, looking at the home with wide, scared eyes.<p>

"What is this place?" She sounded, her mouth quivering. I sighed; maybe this wasn't such a great idea.

"It's our new home, Coral. Now try to be brave." I replied, giving her a soft glare. Emily settled us down on the new, wooden floors. Obviously, we are in the living room judging from the couches circling the coffee table. There was also a fireplace, but it had no logs in it.

Emily reached for something on the coffee table, but I didn't really care about that at the moment. I have so many smells and sights to explore, they were flooding my nose with their strange fragrances. But before I could walk off, I felt something slipping around my neck. It was a, what did the humans call it, oh, a collar. But my collar was black with menacing black spikes around it, threatening to poke me.

Emily noticed my suspicious glares at the spikes and reassured me. "Don't worry, the spikes are fake. They won't hurt you." Whew, glad to hear that. Appearances can be deceiving.

I glanced over to my sister and immediately grew a bit jealous of her collar. It was red with white flowers on it, a very pretty collar. And the girl gave me a black, spiky collar? Oh well, like I quoted before, it's better than nothing.

Emily reached for the coffee table and grabbed something pink and fluffy. She handed it to me and I realized that it was a pink, stuffed teddy bear. It had two, beady, black eyes and a stitched smile. I sniffed the bear cautiously: it smelled like fresh strawberries. (1) I decided to bite it, mentally hoping that my suspicions are correct.

SQUEAK!

IT'S A SQUEAK TOY!

My mind went blank as I cuddled and chewed the toy, the latter giving a loud squeak from every bite. Every time I heard that wonderful sound, I imagined myself chewing and eating a squirrel, starting at the belly and ripping out the, well, whatever is in a squirrel. But thanks to the stitching, the toy wouldn't fall apart. Not that I have any qualms with that. If it squeaks, I love it.

Coral watched me attack and bite the toy and her tail gave a slow wag. I knew from her tail that she wanted to join in on the fun, but she was too nervous. Eh, it's her loss.

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><p>Coral and I quickly adjusted to our new home and our new lives. For once, I actually get my own food bowl and the kibble without having to worry about anyone else trying to steal it from me. I explored every possible inch of the house from Emily's closet upstairs to the basement in the lower level. I got used to its new sights and smells, especially the scent of my squeaky toy. As for my sister, it took her a few weeks before she too started to come out of her hiding place. She is a very timid pup.<p>

From time to time, I missed my family: My sister and brothers, my Mother, the soft, dog bed. But I can't complain about everything: I still have my owner, Emily, my sister, Coral and my squeaky toy, Berry. Yeah, I'll work on the name in the future, but for now, it fits.

Unfortunately, being a pet in Emily's neighborhood does have its downsides. There are three things that troubles me about the neighborhood:

First, there is Cane, the stray, street cat that hangs around the neighborhood. He is street-wise and knows every single secret passageway and alley on the block and uses those places as opportunities to mess around with the local dogs or cats. He is especially mean to me and would constantly tease my sister, mocking her shyness. I grew to hate all cats because of Cane. He really is a jerk.

The second problem would be the two bulldogs who live the house across the street from me, Jack and Jake. Believe me, they are bad news. They bark and bark and bark, making a racket and causing trouble to the neighborhood. Just the other day, they escaped from the house and chased after a kid, barking and baring their teeth. The kid was eventually saved by a friendly neighbor, but he had scraped himself in a few places from running from the terrible two. From that incident, Jack and Jake are forced to stay inside the home and never go out into public again. Well, they deserved it from my point of view. Serves them right.

The last problem is the worst and scariest of the three. Lately, there have been reports of murders and killings in the neighborhood, both man and animal alike. The killings forced the neighborhood into involving the police, meaning that the matter is very serious. But not even the police can locate the culprit and as each day passes, more innocent lives are taken. I'm worried that soon, my family would be next. It's a scary thought for me, so I would usually keep an eye out, looking for any suspicious activity or smells. But even with these dangers, I still have a family and that alone makes me happy and content.

Too bad that it wasn't like that way forever. Little did I know about the horrible tragedy that was about to happen and how my entire life would be forever. On that fateful, dreadful night. Where my entire family was taken away from me.

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><p><strong>2 months since the adoption <strong>

It was a nice, long day; the first day of school actually. I knew that from the fact that Emily was gone for most of the day and that she won't stop talking about it for the past few days. Even Coral was a little bit annoyed. Anyway, it was a long day and when night came, we all went to sleep. I slept in Emily's room at the foot of the bed while Coral slept on the floor.

But before I went to rest, I smelled something different in the air, something ominous, something dangerous. My instincts were telling me to search the house and eliminate the danger, but I was too tired to get up from my cozy spot. My eyes drooped and I eventually went into slumber.

Sometime in the middle of the night, my dream about chasing squirrels and Cane was interrupted by a thick, strong smell. The smell was so thick, I almost couldn't breathe. I woke up sneezing and coughing and when my eyes opened, all I could see was a blanket of gray fog in the air seeping from the bedroom door, stinging my eyes. I coughed and wheezed some more and I realized what the fog was. It was smoke. And when there is smoke, there usually is a...

FIRE!

My mind raced as I quickly sat up and crept over to Emily, trying to wake her up. "EMILY! EMILY! WAKE UP! FIRE!"

She didn't respond. I tried licking her face; that always wakes her up.

Still no response.

At this point, I was completely scared, and I immediately remembered Coral. I leapt off the bed and nudged her, urging her to wake up. Relief washed over me as she stirred, blinking her eyes open. She also coughed and after a few more blinks, she recognized the situation we were in. "FIRE!"

I tried to calm her down, telling her to stay low. Coral was very frightened, but she obeyed, keeping her head down as to not breathe in the smoke. I shuffled on my paws over to the door, and opened it.

On the other side, a bright light flashed from the downstairs living room and a wall of smoke rose above me, filling the ceiling. I motioned my sister to follow me and she obliged, keeping her head down the entire time. We crept down the stairs and into the living room, finding the source of the problem.

The couches and the coffee table were ablaze from the fire, which I guessed was from the fireplace. Humans can be so careless sometimes. The fire roared and threatened to engulf us, and I knew that we had to get out of here. I quickly grabbed Berry, who was unharmed and ushered my sister to the door. This time, she did not move.

"COME ON, SIS! WE HAVE TO LEAVE!"

"No. I'm not leaving without the humans!" What?! Why is she like this?!

"THE HUMANS CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES! COME ON, LET'S GO!"

"I'm not leaving without Emily!"

"STOP BEING SO FOOLISH!"

"STOP BEING SO SELFISH!"

At those words, I dropped my squeaky toy in surprise. My sister, Coral, actually stood up to me. She actually stood up to me. At that moment, I looked into her eyes and I noticed a flame that I didn't see before, a fire of hope burning in her light brown eyes. I stared at her and I felt her courage, her bravery, her selflessness to help the humans. It's so unlike her. I closed my eyes and gave a short, curt nod.

"Then help them. I'm leaving. Just promise me that you will make it out alive." The fire screeched and roared behind her as I picked up my squeaky toy and opened the front door. I looked back and she had gone upstairs, barking like crazy to wake them up. I sighed sadly and then ran out the door, not looking back, knowing that I will never see her again. I felt the shame and the guilt and I realized that I abandoned them. I abandoned my family. Why didn't I help my sister? Why didn't I help the humans?

From the distance, I heard the sirens, but it was too late. When the firemen arrived, the house had collapsed from the fire and everything inside was destroyed, including my family. It was already too late and I never even got the chance to say goodbye. I gave a mournful howl into the night; little did I know that this is the beginning of my troubles.

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><p><strong>Okay, I know this is not my greatest chapter, but hey, I'm trying my best here. So yeah, the ending is sad, but this story is rated teen for that reason. There will be sadness and angst, so if you don't like it, then don't read this story. I'm sorry if any of my characters were OOC (except for Coral, I intended to make her brave at the last moment). <strong>

**(1) Hmm, pink, stuffed bear that smells of fresh strawberries. Reminds you of anyone? :D**

**Anyway, don't forget to review and please, positive reviews or anything that can help make this story even better! NO FLAMES ALLOWED! REVIEWS = DP PLUSHIES!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yep, I'm back! And I'm here with another chapter of "The Life of Cujo." Well, anyway, reader warning: this chapter is a little bit graphic due to violence and slight angst. Oh, and I don't like using language, so the language is mild (stupid, runt, mutt, etc), that's all. The reason this story is rated teen is because of the violence and implied deaths. Also, this chapter will be more emotional, to give Cujo a bit more character. That's all. Anyway, on to the review:**

**To GirlFish: I know that, I'm just saying that in this story, he won't meet Danny. But he still has his little chew toy to keep him company. (hands plushie)**

**Anyway, here's the disclaimer. I don't own DP. I don't own Butch Hartman. That would be really weird. *shudders***

**When I was typing this, I was reading Atem/Tea stories (MEGA KUDOS to Atemusluckygal). Heh, reading romance stories while writing an angsty story, kinda ironic. Oh well, here is chapter 3! Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>1st person Cujo<strong>

I stared at the burning house, not paying not much attention to the firemen in their bright jackets trying to control the fire. I was frozen, my limbs locked in place, unwilling to move from the horror in front of me. My mind was in utter shock as I simply watched the bright flames slowly burn themselves out, leaving nothing except a mere scorched structure, its soiled timbers creaking and moaning as if it's in pain.

Tears threatened to run down my face; why didn't I help them escape? Why was I so selfish? WHY DID I RUN AWAY? The wind howled as if it read my thoughts, reprimanding me of my mistake, reminding me of my ignorance, my selfishness.

I gave a pathetic whine, my tail wagged slowly. My eyes casted downward to my toy, my pink, stuffed bear, Berry. Its beady black eyes stared lifelessly back at me, also scolding me of my actions. I tried to ignore the eyes, but they stared right at me, peering through my soul if I had one.

Closing my eyes, I picked up Berry and gave one last empty look at the spot of what once used to be my home, my comfort, my family. I clenched my teeth from the harsh memories, making the stuffed bear give a sharp, resounding squeak. The sound attracted the firefighters and they turned toward my direction, noticing me.

I couldn't comprehend their sentences, my mind was still in utter dismay and confusion to understand anything other than the harsh reality. My body tensed as the firefighters walked toward me, reaching out to me. Fear overwhelmed my senses, gripping me in its cruel claws, and instinctively, I gave a warning growl, not even realizing what I was doing.

The firefighters didn't seem to get my signal as they continued to advance towards me. At this point, my mind was starting to lose its grip on reality and I backed away from them, still growling at them. "_Why won't they leave me alone? Get away from me!"_

One of the firefighters reached out his gloved hand, as if trying to pet me. My eyes started to see red as my mind slipped further away from consciousness. I bared my teeth, dropping Berry on the wet sidewalk. "_Go away!"_

His hand came closer.

_"Leave me alone!"_

Closer.

_"Please, I don't want you! Just let me be!"_

It touched my nose.

_"Leave! Me! ALONE!"_

Without warning, my body lurched painfully forward and I aimed for his hand, biting down hard. The man gave a sharp cry of pain as my teeth tore through the protective material and into his skin. He tried to shake me off, but I held on tightly, not really caring about the salty taste of blood that entered my mouth.

The other firefighters grabbed me and tried to pull me away and eventually I let go of the man's hand, the ominous, red shine of blood dripping down my teeth and jaws. I snarled and snapped at the other firefighters, making them back away slightly. At the moment. I didn't care about the fact that I just bit a man, all I want is my family back. Why won't these people leave me alone?!

I gave off a loud, wailing howl at the firemen, then retreated to my toy, splattering some of the man's blood onto its clean fur. I then ran down the sidewalk, away from the firefighters, away from my collapsed home, away from the neighborhood, away from everything. That's all I can ever do: run.

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><p><strong>4 months later...<strong>

I wandered into a narrow, dilapidated alley: trash and various bottles were scattered across the mucky, wet pavement. Two brick, apartment buildings stood over the alley, casting off a dark, frightful atmosphere on the passage in the night. The far end of the alley was cut off by a tall, black wall, and an awful, rancid smell entered my nose, making me grimace in disgust. I hated the sorry sight of the dump, but it was all I had. That and Berry.

I walked down the trashed alley, ignoring the fact that I had been living off the streets for four months, all the while hating everyone that I come in contact with. Why won't they just leave me alone?

Being a stray isn't all it's cracked up to be: I lost so much weight that I'm basically nothing more than a heap of bones. My jaws ached and my stomach growled, begging for food. My fur was matted and dirty with blood, its blond shine now just a dull brown. My chocolate-brown eyes lost their spark, now they are just a blank grey, lifeless and without a care about the world. My spiked collar hung loosely around my thin neck, swaying from side to side as I moved. My heart sank into the lowest depths of my depression, my mind never letting go of my horrid memories.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. It's the stupid street rat." A low, gruff voice bellowed behind me. My mind snapped itself out of its current sulking as I casted my eyes upward, noticing two street dogs larger than me. One was a massive, white pitbull, obviously the dog who spoke, and the other was a Great Dane. Both bared their fangs at me, circling around my skeletal form, as if depicting where the most delicious part of me would be.

I gave a threatening growl. "Back off. Leave me alone." The hounds cackled at my words and the white pitbull lunged at me, snapping at my legs. I retreated backwards, not noticing the Great Dane behind me.

"You're on our territory, bub. Get out of here or die." When those words left the Great Dane's mouth, I whirled around and rammed into his side, knocking him over to his side.

"Well, you could've told me that four months ago before I decided to live here." I retorted, baring my yellowed canine fangs at the large dog. "Therefore, this place is officially _mine._ So you two losers go find another alley before I rip out both your hearts."

The pit bull jumped at me, clearly stating that he wanted a fight. I tried to evade his attack, but his teeth reached my left leg and pulled, bending it. Pain seared through my body and with a animalistic howl, I turned and swatted the mad dog in the face, scratching his nose. He let go of my leg instantly, but that was his mistake.

I immediately reached for his neck and face, ignoring the agonizing pain in my left leg as I bit down on his back, blood flooding my teeth and gums again. Unfortunately, I forgot about the Great Dane and within moments, I felt something hard ram into my side followed by some bones cracking. Instantly, unbearable pain racked through my body and I yowled in anguish. At that moment, I wanted to just die so I can no longer cope with the torment, the torture of my memories, of my broken leg anymore.

Biting my lip, I noticed my leg jutted out at an odd angle, completely covered in blood and part of the bone peeking out of it. I watched my opponents advance on me, smiling wickedly, their yellow teeth gleaming in the lighting.

"So long, ya stupid runt."

No, I won't die yet. Not now. Not like this. No...NO... NO!

In a fit of undiluted rage, I scrambled up to my feet, my jaws snapping and snarling. The two strays immediately pounced at me, ready to finish me off. I waited, my eyes locked on their necks.

"I'm not going anywhere." At that moment, I stretched my paws out, knocking out the pit bull's attack and bit down on the neck of the Great Dane, ignoring the agonizing pangs from my leg. The Great Dane tried to shake me off, but with a quick swipe of my front paws, I latched onto his head, my teeth digging deeper into his neck. I squeezed my jaws and heard something snap. The large dog's body stiffened before it slumped to the floor, dead as a doornail.

The gore of my opponent spurted out from his neck as I released my jaws, now completely soaked in the blackish-red blood. I casted my murderous glare at the pit bull watched the whole ordeal. His legs quivered, his eyes in shock of what just happened. I advanced slowly towards him, the Dane's blood still dripping from my teeth.

"You're next." Before the dog could react, I reached for his belly and ripped it open, spilling all its contents and intestines onto the street. The pit bull fell to his side, desperately trying to breathe as his life slowly faded away. He casted one eye at me and growled.

"I hope you die, coward." He cursed before he died, leaving me all alone with two corpses in the alley. I snorted and turned away, but then I smelled the gore, the stench of fresh blood in the air. I stared at the dogs and my mouth watered at the sights. I haven't eaten in such a long time...

No! I will never stoop that low! What was I thinking! But the smell, the _sweet, pleasant_ smell of the vital fluid tempted me, luring me in. My mind was telling me to eat, but my heart was against it. Oh well, maybe one taste wouldn't hurt...

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><p><strong>3rd person point of view<strong>

As Cujo ate the contents of his opponents, unknowingly to the dog, a man watched the whole event from across the street. His face was hidden in the shadows, but his red eyes glowed wickedly in the dark. He chuckled darkly as he walked away from the gory scenery, the darkness enveloping him completely.

"He could be a suitable watch dog for Axiom labs and a new test subject for me."

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><p><strong>And that's this chapter! I know it's a little short and the fight scene may seem pointless, but it actually ties in with the story. Of course, as you see, I'm not that great at writing gore or explicit violence, one reason of why this story is teen rated. That and the fact that I absolutely HATE language. So yeah, it's pretty tame in language. But yeah, I'm sorry if the fight scene was a little weird or something like that. But now, you know why the story is rated teen, although I'm not great at writing fight scenes. But hey, cut me some slack! I know Cujo is OOC, but hey, he just lost everything except his squeaky toy, so he's in hero BSOD. It's in TV Tropes which I don't own. Anyway, don't forget to review, and PLEASE NO FLAMES! I WANT ICE! REVIEWERS GET DP PLUSHIES!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, fellow male and female readers! CTA is back! And I have more reviews, yay! Reviews are so heartwarming to me because it shows that some people out there actually care about my work and it really makes my day...okay, enough of my rambling, here are the reviews:**

**To GirlFish: Well, I do have a few things planned for the pup... poor Cujo. As for the sequel, I don't think I'll do a sequel because I already have a bunch of stories planned in my head and/or on my profile and well, the sequel is basically when Danny meets Cujo. So, sorry, but no sequel.**

**To muney73: Glad that you like this story. I'm kinda sad that there are only like ten or eleven Cujo stories, so I want to make this Cujo story special, unique. I like unique. And I have many plans for the pup, hehehe...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP, but I do own my evil half, YamiCorrie.**

**YC: No, you don't own me.**

**CTA: YES, I DO OWN YOU!**

**YC: *scoffs* Whatever. Here's the next chapter for all you lucky souls out there! *maniacal laugh***

**CTA: Another word out of you and it's back to the Pit of Torture for you!**

**YC: Make me.**

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><p><strong>1st person Cujo: 5 months later; Cujo is a year old<strong>

It was another glorious Wednesday morning: the songbirds were singing, stores were opening, people are walking to places, okay, maybe it wasn't a great morning, but hey, I'm thankful for the most part.

It's been nine months since the fire, but the cause is still a mystery today. Not that I'm complaining much about it. Sure, I still miss Coral and Emily, but it's all in the past now. I had to move on, along with my squeaky toy, Berry.

For me, I was just another mangy, stray mutt wandering on the streets, but after losing everything, what choice do I have? And I had to admit, it's actually kind of fun: running from the pound, stealing some sausages and steaks from the butcher shop, the thrill of the street life indeed. But I knew that I eventually need to find a home, but at the moment, I was the street-wise, top dog of Amity Park.

Sometimes, the other dogs and strays would pick fights with me, trying to take my territory or my squeaky toy. But I usually beat them, all of them. I also started to take a liking to killing the others, if they go too far, that is. But despite my questionable morality at the moment, there is one thing I will never, ever do in a million dog years: murder a human. I don't know what it is, but maybe it's because they are special in some way, maybe it's the scent. Whatever it is, if I ever accidentally killed a human, well, it will go against my standards as man's best friend.

Anyway, I'm getting a bit off-track, so where was I? Oh yes, I was about to steal some meat from the butcher again. The old man is very grumpy geezer; he hates little children and animals, especially stray dogs. I have no idea why he's so mean, maybe he had a rough childhood or something. I don't know.

I slowly crept up to the door, turned the knob, and opened it slowly with my right paw. Sometimes, my spiked collar, which miraculously is still around my neck, despite of what I've been through most of my life, would get stuck in the narrow crack, so I widened the door a little more, just in case. I peered into the dark room; it was early in the morning, so the store is currently closed. However, the butcher always forgets to lock the door, giving me the advantage in this situation.

I tip-toed into the shop, careful not to make too much noise on the tiled floor with my claws. From my past adventures, I've learned that the guy sleeps in the back room and could wake up at any moment; I must be quick and quiet in order for my mission to succeed. I silently went behind the counter and, using my snout, opened the display table, revealing all kinds of delicious, mouthwatering, juicy-looking meats. The scrumptious smell overwhelmed my nose, the delicious, delectable fragrance made me almost lose myself for a moment.

"_No, focus on the steak. Just focus...on the...steeaaak." _My mind went numb as I just stood there, my tongue hanging out of my mouth, drooling uncontrollably. I had to make my move; if I wait long enough, the old man will eventually wake up and I will be in deep yogurt, I mean pudding. I shook my head vehemently, trying to shake off the tempting smells. I focused my eyes on a sizable, juicy steak close to me and grabbed it with my teeth.

"_This should be enough for breakfast. Now I need to get out of here before the m-" _

"HEY, HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE, MUTT?!" A loud voice boomed behind me, making me drop the food. The man noticed this and his eyes narrowed in fury. "YOU TRYING TO STEAL MY MEATS?! THAT'S IT, I'M CALLING THE POUND!"

Those words made my eyes widen in fear, I will never go to the pound, ever! I tried to make a run for the door, but the butcher closed and locked it, making me stare in disbelief. Oh, _now _he locks the door, just great!

I looked toward the back room, knowing that there's a back door as well. The old man must have read my thoughts as he zoomed, surprisingly fast for an old geezer, and slammed it close with his hand, blocking my other escape route. He gave me a smug, condescending grin as he reached for the phone on the counter, pressing a few buttons.

"IT'S OVER NOW, MUTT! JUST YOU WAIT!" The butcher gave a short, harsh laugh before he started to speak roughly into the phone, sometimes pointing at me. I stared around the room: there was the front door in front of me, closed. Another door behind the counter, closed. I looked around, noticing shelves, boxes, a couple of chairs underneath an open window, the refrigerators... WAIT! The window!

The old man rambled angrily into the phone, not really paying attention to me at the moment. I took this moment as my opportunity to escape as I jumped onto the chairs and leapt up to the window. The slope was a little hard to grip, but I eventually squeezed my skeletal body through the narrow opening, falling to the ground. My body was slightly sore from the fall, but my heart leaped with joy at the sights of the human cars and buildings; I was free!

However, the old man noticed my form disappearing from the window and unlocked the door and ran outside, leaving the phone hanging. I scrambled to my feet and started to run down the sidewalk, away from the butcher, but my ears picked up a loud, unwanted sound; the pound's sirens.

I looked behind me and spotted a large, brown truck with the local animal pound logo on its side and I quickly picked up my pace; they were coming for me! The truck followed me on the road, its blaring gray lights (1) flashing all around the area. My legs and muscles started to ache terribly, so I slowed my pace a bit so as to not waste too much energy.

After a few minutes of running, I soon spotted my alley up ahead with Berry to greet me there. I looked back and gave a growl in exasperation; the darn truck is still trailing me! What will it take for them to stop?! I have to shake them off!

I stopped in my alley only for a moment to grab my squeaky toy. After obtaining the pink, squeaky bear, I left the rancid place, still being pursued by the truck. Of course, they will never catch me; I know more secret shortcuts, hidden alleys, and escape routes in this city than the other dogs. In fact, speak of the devil, I noticed a metal manhole in the middle of the street, uncovered.

My mind, however, had second thoughts on the plan. One, the sewers are smelly with human waste and all that stuff. Two, one can get easily lost in the underground system; finding an exit is like a really tiny needle in a massive haystack. But it was my only option at the moment.

I slowed to a stop, peering down the hole warily. It was pitch black, but the sound of rushing water and pipes clanging filled my sharp ears. I looked down the street; the animal control truck was the only vehicle on the road, still flashing the sirens. There were no other cars in sight; that was strange, but I could care less about that.

The brown vehicle eventually stopped and three people came out of the doors: two men and a women, each with a strange, long collar device. I gave a warning growl at them, telling them to back off. The three humans continued to creep closer, talking to me softly and quietly. Mentally, I face-pawed myself; a bunch of loops won't stop me. I figured that the humans are supposed to be smart, but seriously, collars?!

"Don't worry, no one's going to hurt you." One of the guys, a brown-haired blue-eyed man wearing a brown suit (okay, they're all wearing brown suits) stated in a soothing tone, edging the collar thing closer to me. For some reason, I didn't back away from it; I just stood there like I was in a trance with Berry in my mouth, still growling lowly as I watched the pole reach for my neck.

The other male, a younger teen with blond hair and brown eyes chuckled as he circled around me. "This is easier than I thought it would be. He must be a new one."

Before I could react to his movements, I felt the collar slip around my neck tightly, almost choking me. I Immediately lunged away from the man, trying to get into the manhole. Why did I just stood there like a dumb idiot, eh poodle? Man, I really need to be more observant sometimes.

I tried to get away from the truck, giving short bursts of power into my pounces, but the man was very strong as he held onto the metal pole with his vice-like grip. I tugged even harder, but my efforts only made the rope collar even tighter around my neck, making me choke and cough from lack of oxygen.

"Okay, bring him to the kennel!" The girl, obviously the youngest of the three people, called to the man who had me. I eyed the strange, plastic box thing with the metal door, opened like a Venus flytrap ready to take its prey, despite the fact that I'm a dog and not a fly. Okay, enough with the similes.

The man started to walk backward towards the kennel, dragging me along with it. I still tugged and twisted my neck, my hopes of escaping this miserable trap was getting more like a fantasy every second. The blond teen then snuck up from behind me and, in one quick arm movement, caught me off-guard by snatching my toy from my mouth. He then examined it and placed it in a clear, plastic bag before chatting to his friends, speaking words that I couldn't understand.

What, just because I'm a dog that knows some words that humans speak doesn't mean I know their entire language. Cut me some slack! Okay, moving on with the tale.

I was being dragged closer and closer to that evil kennel, its black eyes (can't a dog have an imagination) staring at me, its jaws of death and misery welcoming my form. I almost wanted to run away from it, but the man pushed me inside and closed the metal door before I had the chance to. Now I was trapped in this cramped, miserable place.

I barked and lashed out at the humans, biting the metal door, kicking the walls, but to no effort. I was both frustrated and surprised; what was this container made of, bricks? Whatever it is, my hopes were dashed by the fact that the kennel was durable enough to withstand my attacks and kicks. Not to brag or anything, but despite of my weak, street mutt appearance, I'm actually pretty strong. Guess that'll teach all of you to not judge a book by the cover.

I felt the container being lifted from the ground and loaded into the truck, where I heard the cries of a few other dogs. I chuckled with myself; at least I'm not alone anymore. But then, a sudden realization overwhelmed me as I looked around the dark area of the kennel: where is my squeaky toy?

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><p>Eventually, after a few minutes of my innocent capture and driving, I felt the truck slowly coming to a stop and my ears perked to get a better sound; what was going on now? I'm getting really tired of this, literally. The after effects of my run are at the moment affecting me: my sides ached, my legs were numb, I panted harshly for breath. And my dirty appearance didn't help me one bit. I could now feel the fleas kicking in.<p>

I watched the back doors open once again, filling the dark room with the dazzling, blinding sunlight from the outside atmosphere. My eyes squinted from the sudden change of light as the three humans grabbed the kennels one by one; I was the last one.

I felt my container leave sturdy ground, being lifted by the hands of the blond teen. I gave him a loud growl and rocked the kennel sided to side in hopes of breaking it and escape again. But unfortunately, it was only my imagination. I gave up my antics and watched as a large building with the same logo as the one on the car came closer and closer. I closed my eyes and whimpered despondently; what have I gotten myself into this time?

Soon, before I knew it, I was placed in a very large, all metal cage, surrounded by other dogs, all howling mournfully. I banged my head against the cage, angry at the world, angry at the humans for imprisoning me here, but most of all, I was furious with myself for letting them catch me so easily. What was I thinking? Why did I let my guard down?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!

"Hey, look who it is, guys. It's the Ghost Killer." A voice called from across the room, making me look up in curiosity. Immediately, I regretted the action; across from my cage was a black pit bull, a dog I fought with a few days ago who tried to take my dinner that I righteously deserved from a few trash cans. The hair on my neck bristled as I gave a rumbling, unearthly snarl at the mutt.

If you're wondering on what the name meant, I'll give you two reasons: After my first fight and brutal murder of the two dogs I encountered, I soon found out that they were the top street dogs in the entire city, undefeatable until now. Their deaths made most stray dogs fear and respect me, being the first mutt to end their tyrannical reign. My reputation expanded as I fought, defeated and killed more mutts, earning me the title, "Ghost Killer." The name would send chills up most canines, although few of the newbies were stupid enough to try to challenge me and take my kingly title. Of course, they all lost and eaten by me.

The other reason I was called "Ghost Killer" is because of the fact that I've always been able to get away from the dog police (animal control) every time. I could slip in a house and the butcher's house undetected, making no sound like a phantom. Also, after I eat my victims, I make sure to leave no evidence behind. I will also disappear from the scene of the crime (unless it's at my alley), making me a silent assassin. This is why most ferals are frightened of me. Okay, let's get back to the story.

All of the other caged mutts turned their heads, noticed me and jeered. I clamped my ears and barked savagely at them; they're all stupid! Who do they think they are?! In case they haven't noticed, they're all caged as well!

But the curses and boos stopped when the door opened, revealing the girl from earlier who brought out the cage. I studied here carefully: she looked about sixteen with black hair and dark green eyes, fair skin. She was no longer wearing her brown suit, instead she was wearing a black cap, white short, gray jeans, and dark bracelets on both wrists. She was holding a blanket that had a bulge in it; obviously, there was something in the blanket.

She walked toward my cage and opened it, staring at me with her green eyes. I gave a low, rumbling growl in response, signaling to me that I might bite. She shushed and opened the blanket, revealing a pink, strawberry-scented squeaky bear...

BERRY!

I instantly snatched the toy from the blanket and squeaked it a few times, letting that wonderful, comforting sound fill my ears. The girl gave a nice laugh, added more food to my dish, and closed the metal door, closing off my opportunity to freedom. Once again, I mentally reprimanded myself of my foolishness. The black-haired girl stared at me and sighed, her eyes showing forlornness and pain.

"So you're the dog that's been constantly getting into trouble." The girl stated in a soft, feminine tone, reminding me of Mother. "It's sad really. From your tags, you were the only survivor of the house fire a few months ago. It was rumored that everyone died, so you must still be hurting. Well, after a few washes and some training, I'll make sure to find you a home as soon as possible, to give you a new family. Okay, Cujo?"

I stared into her black eyes, watching the tears threatening to stream down her cheeks. I gave a long squeak in response, still looking at her. She wiped the liquid on her face with her arm before she gave me a smile and left the room. I continued to watch her leave until she closed the door.

After she left, I laid down, paws crossed in front of me, my eyes still staring blankly at the door. Berry rested on my paws as I set my head down on the cold, metal floor. I closed my eyes and smiled genuinely as slumber started to take over; maybe there is hope for me after all.

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><p><strong>YAY, I'M DONE! *author looks at word count and her jaw drops* 3, 382 WORDS?! WHAT?! (Author faints in shock)<strong>

**Okay, I know this chapter was a bit long, but I wanted to give Cujo more character; this is his back-story after all,but it's on a more emotional level. I'm trying different styles here to see which one works best. I want to give my characters more depth, more feelings and fullness, mainly Cujo. **

**(1) Dogs are colorblind. So yeah, he can't see red or blue. Brown he can see (in my story, that is).**

**PLEASE REVIEW! REVIEWERS GET DP PLUSHIES!**

**Also, who should be Cujo's owner in the end: the black-haired girl, (her name I will eventually reveal), Valerie, or some other person? Give your answer in your reviews! I'll tell you my answer...eventually. :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**CTA is back and with a new chapter! HURRAY! But first, REVIEWS!**

**To GirlFish: Uh...I don't know. I could try, but I can't picture Clockwork fitting in one of the future chapters. Sorry. (hands plushie)**

**To muney73: Yeah, Valerie would be a good option, but I have other things planned for the pup. And the original name was supposed to be "Ghost Dog", but you know why it doesn't really fit. (hands plushie)**

**To Zalgo's Jinchuriki: Yeah, it's dark, but compared to most of the other DP stories rated T, it's not that bad. (hands plushie)**

**To LunaTheBlackWolf: Fortunately for you, here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it! :D**

**Disclaimers: I don't own DP or Cujo. I own the back-story and the OCs. Nothing else. Darn. Moving on to the story of a great character who just happens to be so hard to write in 1st person.**

**YC: Just get to the story already, Corinne!**

**CTA: Quiet, Yami Corrie. **

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><p><strong>1st person Cujo: Three weeks after his capture<strong>

_Loser._

_Look who it is! _

_Freak._

_Mutt._

_It's the Ghost Killer! Run for your lives!_

_Runt. _

_Wimp._

...stop...

_Why should we?_

_You brought this on yourself, jerk._

_Pup._

Shut up, all of you! Why won't you just leave me alone?!

_Ghost Killer._

_You're nothing but a cold, heartless monster._

"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID MUTTS! I'M NOT A MONSTER!" My yell echoed throughout the prison room, waking up most of the other dogs who were sleeping so peacefully. They all turned their steely cold glares in my direction and I swear there was a tint of red in their eyes momentarily. I face-pawed myself in embarrassment of my current situation; I was dreaming again, wasn't I? Well, it was a nightmare, but still...(1)

The other dogs sneered and rolled over to their sides, deliberately facing their backs and their butts in my direction, shunning me from their faces. I could hear them grumbling and cursing to themselves, obviously very unhappy with being woken up from their sleep. I could care less about them; they're the jerks, not me.

I silently got up and looked around my cage: it was all metal (well, duh) with multiple bars sporting as walls, revealing the other angry dogs on either side of my cage. Darn those humans, don't they know anything? A food bowl and water dish rested near the front of the cage, off towards the upper right. Moonlight splashed near the back part of my cage. Did I forget to mention that there was a window behind my confinement in that last chapter? Okay, maybe I didn't. Sue me.

I looked down at my crossed paws and noticed my faithful stuffed companion, Berry, its beady eyes staring back up to me. I gently lowered my head towards the bear and squeezed it with my teeth, making the toy let out a soft, long squeak. My ears perked up from the soothing sound; it was so relaxing and comforting.

"HEY, KEEP IT DOWN! DON'T MAKE ME GO OVER THERE AND SILENCE YOU MYSELF!" I rolled my eyes from the pointless threat. The owner must be blind or stupid or something like that. Actually, he's stupid.

"In case you haven't noticed, we're all imprisoned in cages, wise guy!" I retorted back, making Berry squeak in emphasis of the statement. At this point, I didn't care about the other mutts; I just wanted to be left alone sulking in my thoughts...and playing with my squeak toy.

Just as I was about to drift off into Squirreltopia again (dogs love chasing squirrels for a reason, people), I heard strange, low whispers coming from outside of the room. Okay, maybe I'm actually going insane now. Hearing imaginary, creepy voices from out of nowhere? Yeah...yeah.

I raised my left ear high in the air in order to get a better, clearer sound. The voices were coming from the closed door that was about a few feet from my cage, well, behind the door anyway. Yeah, how does a closed door make any sound? It has to be behind it.

Fortunately for me, at this state, the entire room filled with dogs was silent, quieter than a mouse. I watched the door and raised my other ear as well, hoping that I could make out what the whispers were saying. Apparently, from the tone alone, the owners are two humans: the first voice belonging to the young, female girl (I found out that her name is Ashton), and the other voice sounded more older and deeper, probably belonging to an older gentleman.

"You do understand our situation, don't you? The pound is in huge debt!" Ashton pointed out towards the other person (remember, this is all hypothetical since I can't actually see the two people).

"I understand that, but you must consider the offer. I'll give the pound an extra two thousand bonus along with the deal." The second person replied calmly, probably straightening his tie or something like that. Being a bit genre-savvy, I assume from the talk that the second person is probably some rich dude or maybe a businessman. No wait, a lawyer. I still don't understand the two thousand bonus part, but since I can only count up to five, two thousand something is a lot of something in my book.

"It's a tempting offer, but you're not exactly the trustworthy type, sir." Ashton's voice remarked sharply, carrying a slight tone of suspicion. Okay, this is getting a little irritating for me, why can't they just open the door and reveal themselves or something?

I waited for a few seconds to see if the jinx would happen. Surprisingly, it didn't. Anyway, back to the story.

"But it's like you mentioned before, Ashton. The pound is in debt. I can save this place if you just agree to my deal." Okay, I am slightly confused by this statement. This person, whoever he is, is really, really, REALLY good at making deals, or something like that. Hey, I'm a dog, I don't know everything.

I heard the teen girl give out a depressed (or maybe it's despondent) sigh. "I still don't fully trust you, but if you are true to your word by giving the pound an extra two-thousand dollars out of what little generosity you have left in your heart, I'll fulfill my end of the deal and start the training program. Promise?"

"Agreed. Now I expect that you start the program tomorrow." And with that, I could hear the sound of footsteps walking out through the door and out the store, er pound. So the mysterious, deep-voiced guy is leaving now, I think. Oh, who am I kidding, I'm not a dog detective.

Begrudgingly, I rolled over to my side and tried to go back to sleep, hoping to ease my mind from the dangers and evils of this world. Why do these types of things always happen to me? Life isn't fair for me. But after listening to that conversation (in the middle of the night, nevertheless), maybe I'm not the only one having problems.

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><p>"Hey Killer, wake up! It's breakfast time in case you didn't know!" At those words, I was once again out of Squirreltopis and into reality without a choice. I growled at my next-door neighbor who just happened to be...part of the bug-eyed ratdog species called the Chihuahua. Yep, a Chihuahua and man, they're so incredibly annoying. But one part of his demanding yell caught my attention.<p>

"Wait, breakfast?"

"Yes, dummie!" At those words, the blond ratdog pointed his left front paw towards the door of the room. It opened (big surprise there), revealing Ashton humming some pretty tune while holding the heavy bags of dog food in her hands and...a bunch of leashes and collars that were all different shades of gray. (2) Remember the fact that dogs are colorblind; I don't know what red or blue looks like. But seriously... LEASHES? AGAIN? WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO THESE DAYS?!

After filling everyone's bowls with bland kibble, she grabbed the leashes (while still humming the song), and approached some a dog cage and pulled the stupid mutt out. She slid the collar around his neck and clicked the leash in place with it. She then walked the dog out of the room, leaving the room's door slightly open while doing so.

This kind of strange behavior made me raise one eyebrow (and ear) in confusion. Why did she do that? Is the mutt getting adopted? Or maybe it has something to do with the program she and some mysterious figure mentioned last night? Maybe it's something else...

After a few minutes, she returned, approached another dog's cage, and repeated the entire procedure, cleaning out nearly half of the kennels. The number of gray leashes grew smaller and smaller until there was only one left.

I sighed heavily, plopping down onto the metal floor of my cage in defeat. What's the possibility that she would choose me? Let's see, there is one leash and umm, more than five dogs left in kennels which means that I have a very low chance of getting picked. Yay, there goes my life. Oh well, at least I still have Berry with m-.

"Okay, Cujo, time to go." I raised my head quickly in alarm, almost ramming it against the metal cage of my prison. Thankfully, I didn't. That would've left a mark or a very painful headache for me.

Anyway, I noticed that the black-haired teen girl holding the door open with her right hand and holding a light gray leash in her left. I cautiously crept forward, holding my pink, squeaky bear in my mouth while doing so. Is she going to free me, finally? After all these dog months?

Ashton carefully stretched her left hand and picked me up with it, holding my moderately large form with a strong grip. She slowly let me down on the floor and then let me go. I eyed the door with wide eyes; this was my chance to escape and once again, be free and living the street life again. All I had to do was run. My mind edged me to go, but my conscience told me to stay for some reason. Soon, it was another internal between my desires and my morals, making me conflicted in my decision.

I was so confused and caught up in what to do that I failed to notice the leash clipping itself to my spiked collar (yep, I'm still wearing it and I will for the rest of this story. Yes, I broke the fourth wall, deal with it), once again preventing me from freedom. I heard the inevitable click and then a firm tug around my neck as the girl pulled slightly on the leash, trying not to choke me.

Ashtn gestured me to follow her out of the room, but at this point, I was only half-heartedly focused on the outside world, including her. I was snapped out of my stupor when I felt an even harder (but not too hard) tug on my neck, forcing me to rise to my feet and walk. I gave a low, warning growl at the teen through the stuffed bear still trapped in my sharp teeth. Her response?

"I'm sorry, Cujo, but we have to go." With those words, she then gave a quick pull on the leash, making me unceremoniously skip towards the door and out of the kennel room, my mind wondering on what horrors and terrors await for me. I gave a mental sigh; why didn't I run when I had the opportunity to?

* * *

><p>Where was I...oh yeah, Ashton and I were walking through the pound and towards the back of the building, not really knowing our destination on my part. Okay, so maybe everything was all a bit of a blur, considering how fast we were going, but hey, how can I describe the inside of a building? Okay, how about this: everywhere I turn, there were four walls, a tiled floor, and a roof with the occasional fan or light.<p>

Eventually, we approached a clear glass door that led to an outdoor, meadow-like area. My eyes immediately perked up from the sights; Ashton is going to free me! This is awesome, can we go already? Open the door already!

As soon as we stepped outside, I started to lunge forward repeatedly, tugging on my spiked collar and the leash with great force. Ashton used all her might to keep me restrained, trying not to lose her grip and let me go. Okay, now I'm utterly puzzled; why keep me on a leash if you're going to set me free in the great outdoors? Unless...

"Cujo, I'm sorry, but I'm not releasing you. I don't know if you understand what I'm saying, but you're now part of a guard dog training program. Axiom Labs agreed to help the pound's debt in exchange for some upgraded security, so after your training, you'll be a guard dog for Axiom Labs." Wow, she explained my entire future job in one, I mean two sentences. Yippee, I'm practically dancing with joy...if I understood about half the words in her explanation. So yeah, that was all sarcasm.

Although, training program I understood...sort of. For me, I could care less about it, but apparently, it's important to Ashton and the pound. I sighed heavily, making Berry drop from my mouth from the action. Oh well, it couldn't get worse now...right?

Wrong. I noticed that the outdoor grassy lot was all fenced in with strands of electrical wire, making it impossible for any canine to escape. I now realized that I'm in an even more practical, outside cage. I couldn't dig my way out; the earth was too rough for my paws and the fact that people will eventually notice the hole under the fence. The tall fence surrounded about three/fourths of the grassy field, the pound enclosing the other side.

In other words, it didn't matter if Ashton set me free or not: I am still trapped in a dog's outdoor version of Alcatraz. Not that the humans who worked here were mean or anything. Hopefully, the trainer is my friend...

My hopes were dashed when I noticed a tall, bald, burly man with a cleft chin and dressed in an black army uniform, walking stiffly down the lawn towards the other dogs (I forgot to mention that I wasn't the only one here) in the field, playing and fighting each other. I face-palmed myself; this is going to be a _very _long day for me. And no, in case you didn't notice, I was _forced _to do this training program, I didn't have a choice.

Oh well, at least the serious, army dude wasn't sporting a dog whistle. Wait a minute...well, what do you know, I was wrong...again. OW!

* * *

><p><strong>Yep, the owner of Cujo is...Axiom Labs! Wow, I wrote a lame chapter, but hey, Cujo's biography is only about ten chapters long, sooooo yeeeaaahhhh. But I never mentioned that the owner had to be a human. Also, who was the mysterious figure who gave the extra 2,000 bonus for the pound in exchange for the training program? You guys can guess in your reviews, if this chapter isn't too stupid.<strong>

**(1) There was a time where I was at some kind of camp and I had a dream that I was drafted into the military. I was standing on a stump (don't ask) and the general asked me if I was strong. I replied weakly at first, but then she kept asking me to say it; yell the words into the heavens. I did...and I woke half the cabin up with my shout. Yep, I yelled in my sleep and that was the only sleep-talking incident I have. Looking back at it, it was actually pretty funny.**

**(2) The song Ashton is humming is "King of my Heart" by Love and the Outcome. Yep, I love that song...and it's another subtle Christian hint in my story. **

**Sorry about the crummy chapter, but hopefully, there should be more action or stuff like that in the next chapter. Reason I didn't update sooner was that I was focusing more on my "Mystery ay Morbid Manor" story. And that fanfic is ending next week with the epilogue, leaving me with my main series that I have yet to write and publish.**

**The main series should come out once I'm finished with its cover art _and _the prologue...which will be sometime in January or early February. Speaking of cover art, should I do something for this story? I would love to hear your opinion/ideas on it, okay? PLEASE REVIEW!**


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